Ansonia High running back Arkeel Newsome set the all-time state record for career rushing yards, racking up more than 10,000. How many yards did Newsome run for in a quarter-final game against Coginchaug on Dec. 3?
A. 826
B. 492
C. 511
D. 280 less

Ansonia High running back Arkeel Newsome set the all-time state record for career rushing yards, racking up more than 10,000. How many yards did Newsome run for in a quarter-final game against Coginchaug on ... more

While the two major college football recruiting websites didn't give the UConn Huskies very high marks for their incoming 2014 class, new head coach Bob Diaco is sky-high over his 16 newcomers.

"We're very excited about the class," Diaco said on a conference Wednesday afternoon. "We went with the right kind of guys. Guys that have strong grades, high character, guys that have tough reports. And all of them happen to be big guys. When you can recruit a big guy, you have a better chance."

Diaco's class consists of three running backs -- led by Parade All-American Arkeel Newsome of Ansonia -- two defensive backs, four offensive linemen, four linebackers, two defensive linemen and a tight end, positions where Diaco now has some significant depth.

"Not that the tailback position needed to be bolstered, but it's been significantly bolstered," Diaco said. "The offensive line position, at least from a developmental standpoint, guys that can practice, guys that can round out the line, that's been bolstered with four really solid guys."

Rivals.com rated UConn's class 10th (last) in the American Athletic Conference. (Rivals.com did not include AAC newcomers Tulsa, Tulane and East Carolina and did not remove Louisville and Rutgers, which are moving to other conferences.) UConn was ranked 111th overall by Rivals.com among its 125 Division I programs that were ranked.

Scout.com had the Huskies 11th (last) in their AAC rankings and 121st overall, the first time since 2002 that a UConn class was not ranked in the top 100 by Scout.com.

Last year, Scout.com rated UConn's class third in the AAC and 56th overall while Rivals.com ranked the Huskies fifth in the AAC and 61st overall.

Does the drop-off bother Diaco? Not in the slightest.

"We put virtually no, zero, nada thought into who has what star, who we should recruit based on that information ¦ zero," Diaco said. "We have our needs. You could be a four-star recruit at cornerback but if we don't need a cornerback, then you don't have value to UConn. The value is in what our needs are."

Diaco's most valuable piece is, without question, Newsome. The 5-foot-8 running back holds the state record for career rushing yards (10,672) and touchdowns (187). As a senior, Newsome rushed for 3,867 yards and 68 touchdowns, leading the Chargers (15-0) to their third straight undefeated season and third straight Class S title.

Several recruiting websites have Newsome rated as a "four-star" recruit, which would give the Huskies their first four-star player at least since 2002, when Scout.com and Rivals.com started rating players.

"I'm not concerned about his size at all," Diaco said. "He's a winner. We're going to ask him to do things that suit his tangible traits. We really pride ourselves in not asking players to do things that we already know they can't do and asking them things we know they can do.

"And he's not diminutive. He's not the tallest guy in the world but he's got stature. When you look at him, he's got nice big, round shoulders, he's got nice big legs, he's really grounded well. This is not a diminutive guy, where you're not only short, but small. He's not built that way."

The Huskies finished 3-9 last season under Paul Pasqualoni (who was fired after four games) and interim coach T.J. Weist, UConn's third straight losing season. It's up to Diaco -- who was hired on Dec. 12 -- to right the ship and get the program back on the winning track. Getting to know the already committed recruits and keeping them on board, along with going out and selling the Husky name, was a good start.

"It's to the credit of coach (Randy) Edsall, it's to the credit of coach Pasqualoni, it's to the credit of coach Geno (Auriemma) and coach (Jim) Calhoun and coach (Kevin) Ollie," Diaco said. "There was not a home that I went to where the UConn brand wasn't strong. Not one negative comment, not one off-handed anything, not one moment where you were playing second fiddle to another school. We were very well received everywhere we went."

LOOKING AHEAD: The AAC recently announced the home/road games for the 2014 season (dates and times, TBA), so the Huskies schedule is nearly set in stone. Home games include BYU (Aug. 28), Stony Brook (Sept. 6), Boise State (Sept. 13), Cincinnati, Central Florida, SMU and Temple. Road games are Army (Nov. 8 at Yankee Stadium), East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida and Tulane. ... On the injury front, Diaco would not comment on the futures of cornerback Ty-Meer Brown, who missed the last five games of the season with a neck stinger, and guard Gus Cruz, who missed the last seven games with cardiac issues, but said he would know more when spring practice arrives.